Mexican national sent to prison after Pharr kidnapping

themonitor.com
November 15, 2011 8:34 PM
Jared Taylor

McALLEN — A federal judge sent a Mexican national to prison after he admitted to kidnapping an illegal immigrant and holding her for ransom.

Lucindo De La Cruz Estrada, 31, was sentenced to 40 months in prison Monday at a hearing before Chief U.S. District Judge Ricardo Hinojosa.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested De La Cruz in March, after they learned of a woman who had been kidnapped and held for ransom by an immigrant smuggler.

Agents tracked De La Cruz using his cellphone number to a residence in Pharr, according to a criminal complaint. There, they found the victim.

The woman, a Mexican national, told agents she had paid $500 to be smuggled into the United States.

The woman said De La Cruz picked her up along the Rio Grande and transported her to an immigrant stash house. He then took her to his apartment in Pharr.

The woman told agents De La Cruz wanted an additional $2,500 to smuggle her to Houston, according to the complaint. He threatened to harm her and her family if she tried to call police. De La Cruz also threatened to shoot and kill her if she tried to run from the apartment, according to the complaint.

ICE will deport De La Cruz after he serves his prison time. He is serving a concurrent sentence on state kidnapping charges, as well, officials said.

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Jared Taylor covers courts and general assignments for The Monitor. He can be reached at jtaylor@themonitor.com and (956) 683-4439.

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